ACC Bubble Watch for the Week of January 24

This article is also featured at All About Sports.

Duke keeps marching along, and Florida State made the biggest move. The ACC is looking like a five-bid league, unless someone can step forward from the mish-mash of the bottom seven teams.

A good win is any win over the RPI top 100, and a bad loss is any loss to a team ranked higher than the RPI 125. 

RPI's come from realtimerpi.com

Locks

(10) Duke Blue Devils 18-1 (5-1)

A couple of road games at NC State and Wake Forest and a couple of double-digit wins. If Kyrie Irving were healthy, this team would be unstoppable. Instead they are just really good.

Next Games: 1/27 Boston College, 1/30 St. Johns  

Good Wins: (60) Princeton, (91) Miami (OH), (66) Marquette, (50) Kansas St., (21) Michigan St, (27) Butler, (48) Miami, (54) UAB, (78) Maryland, (100) NC State

Bad Losses: None

Should Be In

(20) North Carolina Tar Heels 13-5 (3-1)

The Heels made it 55 in row over the Clemson Tigers in Chapel Hill in a 75-65 win. That's an unbelievable streak. Story for the week: Don't ask any questions to Roy Williams during his call in show after a loss.

Next Games: 1/26 @Miami, 1/29 NC State  

Good Wins: (80) Charleston, (13) Kentucky, (62) Virginia Tech, (92) Clemson

Bad Losses: (148) Georgia Tech 

(35) Boston College Eagles 14-6 (4-2)

BC didn't play very well this past week. They struggled to put Virginia away at home and got beat pretty good at Florida State by 16. The Eagles have more leeway than most ACC teams, because of some solid non-conference wins.

Next Games: 1/27 @Duke

Good Wins: (16) Texas A&M, (56) California, (78) Maryland, (83) Bucknell, (81) South Carolina, (100) NC State

Bad Losses: (138) Yale

(44) Florida State Seminoles 15-5 (5-1)

Like football, in basketball when you play defense, you always have a chance, and the Noles play great defense. They got a road win at Miami, 55-53, and beat Boston 67-51 at home. Florida State is playing as well as anyone in the ACC outside of Duke. 

Next Games: 1/29 @Clemson

Good Wins: (92) Clemson, (87) Baylor, (10) Duke, (100) NC State, (48) Miami, (35) Boston College)

Bad Losses: (306) Auburn 

Bubble But In

(62) Virginia Tech Hokies 13-5 (3-2)

The Hokies have won nine of their last 10 games. This past week they had an impressive 74-57 win at Maryland and a nice 18-point win in a scrimmage against Longwood. Seth Greenburg is doing a good job managing all the injuries.

Next Games: 1/25 @Georgia Tech, 1/30 Miami

Good Wins: (40) Oklahoma St, (51) Penn St., (44) Florida St., (78) Maryland 

Bad Losses: None

Bubble But Out

(48) Miami Hurricanes 12-7 (1-4)

Miami is really wasting some good non-conference wins. Losing at home to Florida State 55-53 was a big blow. Then there was a 72-70 loss at NC State, where the Canes couldn't even get a decent shot off in their final possession. If Miami goes 0-2 this week, they are finished.

Next Games: 1/26 North Carolina, 1/30 @Virginia Tech

Good Wins: (72) Mississippi, (14) West Virginia, (35) Boston College

Bad Losses: None

(78) Maryland Terrapins 12-7 (2-3)

The Terps are hanging on by a thread. They beat Clemson 79-77 at home, but a 17-point loss in College Park has really put Maryland in a hole. Two winnable road games are next. Maryland needs to at least win one.

Next Games: 1/27 @Virginia, 1/30 @Georgia Tech

Good Wins: (80) Charleston, (51) Penn St., (92) Clemson

Bad Losses: None

(92) Clemson Tigers 13-6 (2-3)

You knew it would be a tough week for Clemson, with road games at UNC and Maryland. The first was a 75-65 loss and the second was a 79-77 loss. This is the week Clemson needs to make a move with two upcoming home games.

Next Games: 1/25 NC State, 1/29 Florida State

Good Wins: (80) Charleston, (48) Miami

Bad Losses: None

(100) North Carolina State Wolfpack 12-7 (2-3)

NC State lost at home to Duke 92-78, but came back and beat Miami 72-70. The Pack don't lose ground, but they don't really make up any either. Four of the next five are on the road. It won't be easy for the Wolfpack.

Next Games: 1/25 @Clemson, 1/29 @North Carolina

Good Wins: (32) George Mason, (48) Miami

Bad Losses: None

Better Win the ACC Tournament

(124) Virginia Cavaliers 11-8 (2-3)

If Virginia could have stolen one at Boston College, instead of losing 70-67, they could have really opened some eyes. The Cavs looked good beating Georgia Tech 72-64 Saturday. With Maryland at home and then a game at Wake Forest, the chance is there to get over .500 in the ACC.

Next Games: 1/27 Maryland, 1/29 @Wake Forest

Good Wins: (23) Minnesota, (62) Virginia Tech

Bad Losses: (293) Seattle

(142) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets  9-9 (2-3)

Wake Forest isn't very good, but that was solid 74-39 win. Too bad the Jackets couldn't follow it up on the road, losing 72-64 at Virginia. Under Paul Hewitt, the Jackets have exactly one win in their last 19 ACC road games. Going 2-0 this week at home is an absolute must.

Next Games: 1/25 Virginia Tech, 1/30 Maryland

Good Wins: (65) UTEP, (61) Richmond, (20) North Carolina

Bad Losses: (313) Kennesaw St, (187) Siena, (186) Charlotte

(240) Wake Forest Demon Deacons 7-13 (0-5)

Wake Forest looked absolutely terrible in their 74-39 loss at Georgia Tech, and it wasn't that close. To their credit, they showed signs of life early, in an 83-59 loss to Duke in Winston Salem. One of the better opportunities for an ACC win comes this week at home.

Next Games: 1/29 Virginia

Good Wins: None

Bad Losses: (271) Stetson, (178) Wintrop, (142) NC Wilmington, (171) Presbyterian, (148) Georgia Tech